Nothing says Thanksgiving like a pumpkin pie. There’s something about the combination of creamy pumpkin, spices, and crumbling pie shell that makes everyone smile. Add a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, and it just gets better.
The problem for diabetics is that pumpkin pie typically has a large amount of sugar added for sweetness. Even those found in the bakery department, or frozen food section, of the grocery store has over 25 and usually 30 grams of sugar in every serving. Add in the toppings and you’re easily looking at 40-50 grams of sugar in one single serving. And since we all overeat at holiday meals, its easy to have several pieces of the pie over the course of the day.
In my family we have a lot of pumpkin pie lovers, and just as many diabetics. We’ve tried buying a few different brands of low sugar, or sugar free, pumpkin pies but none of them had the same taste as the regular versions. Most also had a gritty taste from the sugar substitute and a soggy crust. Just as we were about to give up hope, I decided to try making my own no sugar added pumpkin pie. The basic recipe given on most canned pumpkin is a good starting point, but it also required a little tweaking to perfect the recipe.
No-Sugar-Added Diabetic Pumpkin Pie.
Ingredients:
1-9 inch pie shell
1 medium sized can of pureed pumpkin (15 ounces)
1-12 ounce can of evaporated milk (fat-free or regular works fine)
3 eggs
3/4 cup of sugar substitute such as Splenda or Equal
*Note: I’ve also tried this using pumpkin pie seasoning available in cans at the grocery store, instead of the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg added separately, and it works just as well. If you do use the pumpkin pie seasoning, use 2 teaspoons total.*
When you buy your pie shell, check the package instructions to find out if it needs to be baked separately. Some are pre-baked, but some are raw. If it needs to be baked first, do that while preparing the pie filling. This pie will be baked at 400 degrees, so remember to change your oven’s temperature if needed.
Start by combining the pumpkin, milk, and eggs in a larger bowl. The pumpkin is a little hard to mix with the wet ingredients, so make sure to use a bigger bowl than you think you will need. Trust me, I’ve tried this with a smaller bowl, and ended up with pumpkin all across my kitchen counter. Once the wet ingredients are combined, add in the seasonings, salt, vanilla, and sugar substitute. The sugar substitute should completely dissolve into the wet ingredients. Pour everything into the pie shell and bake for 35-45 minutes at 400 degrees.
This diabetic friendly pumpkin pie is such a hit that people now ask me to make it fairly often. It often disappears from the table long before the regular store bought pumpkin pies!
